OR, THE WORLD HAS CHANGED. 121 



a premonition of some coming evil depressed my spirits. My 

 reveries were broken by the sound of a quick yelp, and a suc- 

 cession of weird howls wafted on the still night air. The truth 

 flashed upon me as an electric shock, wolves ! I had heard the 

 sound before, I knew the gray wolf of the Blue Ridge moun- 

 tains. I had read of the ruthless red Russian wolf, and of human 

 bones bleaching on the plains. I was at first startled, now 

 alarmed, for I knew they would soon be upon my track ; all my 

 fatigue vanished, forgot my skinned heels, and quickened my 

 pace into a trot. Directly the yelps multiplied and constantly 

 became more distinct ; they were on my track and getting 

 nearer every minute; were rapidly gaining on me; that my 

 pack of ducks were impedeing my speed, I had not thought of 

 before. I dashed the game on the ground, and spurred into a 

 gallop; but on came the wolves. I could hear them scrambling 

 and fighting over my game, but I did not stop to listen — but 

 got faster — my whole mind and body concentrated in one 

 grand central idea : to get away from those wolves if there was 

 any possible chance to do so. I revolted at the thought that 

 my poor carcass should make their next repast, as I sped along 

 the plain. I saw off to my right a huge rock rising in the prai- 

 rie. I turned my course thither, and as 1 drew nearer found its 

 front inaccessible, but running round discovered a water rut, 

 and up this groove I climbed to the verry top and stopped, 

 because I could'nt get any higher. By this time, the terrible 

 brutes had finished the ducks, and were again on my track ; 

 nor did I doubt for a moment that they wanted the man who 

 killed the ducks. I at once began preparations for defense 

 My gun being empty, I quickly threw down the old muzzle loader 

 a couple of charges of powder, rammed down the wads, seized 

 my shot pouch, when to my horror, discovered that 



